Manabu smiled softly as he listened to the bawdy man spilled his life story at him. He man was Kareem Emir, a ships navigator, navigator of the ship Clear Sky.
Ima telling ya that was the best time of my life!
Kareem burped, choking back bile.
I wouldve got into her knickers as well. But that god awful boyfriend if ers beat me to the punch. Literally. Shame really.
Manabu chuckled dishonestly.
I bet you couldve had him. Let me guess. Was he one of those overly muscular guys, all brains, no brawn?
Exactly right my friend!
Ah well. You win some you lose some. But please continue.
Yeah, thats true.
Kareem swiftly took several mouthfuls of ale.
The next day, when I woke up, I found out her boyfriend was actually one of those Molly lot! I had five of em knocking on my door!
How did you get out of that?
I climbed out of the window.
He laughed briefly.
Of course I was on the tenth level at the time, so it wasnt the smartest thing to do. I managed to climbed down the gutter. But hell I was scared crapless. I thought for sure Id either drop and fall or one of them would shoot at me from the window.
Obviously neither of those happened. You got away none the worse.
True. Sorta. I broke my ankle when I jumped off a bit too soon. Oh man, you shouldve seen me hobble the mile to the space port. It was there I got transport to Liberty. I spent a couple of weeks nursing my broken ankle in hospital once I got there. After I got out of hospital I went looking for a job. I ran right into my buddy Sora there. Hes a weird man. He acts all superior, but hes a decent enough guy once you get over it. Oh! Ive run outta ale Not that this ale is that good, but you know, may as well drink some. Just let me go grab another pint.
Kareem stood up unsteadily, drifting from side to side as he walked towards the bar. As soon as he turned his back on Manabu, Manabus smiled instantly reverted to his normal passive face. The man was irritating him to no end. But it would be worth it in the end. The man had supposedly been shouting all over the show about a recent job gone sour. A young Kusarian woman had supposedly fired him. The Kusarian woman, Manabu had decided, sounded and looked a lot like his target Yoko.
The man arrived back at the table holding two pints in his hands. He slammed them down on the table, ale spilled over the table.
Oh god! Sorry about that mate!
Manabu waved it off.
Its fine. A simple mistake. I dont have the stomach to drink ale tonight, though thank you for the pint.
What? I didnt get you one. These are both for me!
The mans slurred words grated Manabus ears.
I see Anyway, continue you on.
Sitting down, Kareem continued the tale.
Well you see, we ended up on Trafalgar a month or so back. Some Junkers needed some hauling done. The boss hadnt picked up any other jobs, so we took that little job if you want to call it that. We spent a couple of days doing it, before we were offered a place in the actual group. Now, Sora didnt like the fact that hed be classed as a Junker, but it would give us a nice turnover. So he accepted.
I cant say I blame you. Its hard to find decent pay, what with the wars. Who hired you?
Yes, its true. Its true. But nothing can be done about it. The girl that hired us, she was a Kusarian, like yourself. She was quite pretty Id say, you know, small, petite, long flowing black hair and big brown eyes. Not too quick though. She always seemed slow on the uptake. But boy, dont get Sora started on that when you ask him about a job.
Why?
Well the argument that caused all this crap, came from her uneducated views as Sora would call it. Im not exactly a student of politics, but from what Sora was saying about it, Suzume got everything wrong about the Bretonian/Kusarian war. She blamed it all on Kusari. Obviously Sora disagreed. He caught Suzume lying a few times as well.
Oh? Lying, why would she do that?
Well I say caught he didnt have any proof that she lying. But shed keep on tripping herself up, you know? First she was born on Honshu, and then she wasnt. First she didnt know her father, then her father was an evil man that tried to kill her mother.
Manabu swiftly looked at his watch.
Oh. Its 11 oclock. Id be best heading to bed. Ive got quite a ton of work to do tomorrow. Where did you say I could find Sora?
What? Ah, hes down a few floors. Hired himself one of those executive suites to stay in. Guess he thought hed spend what money he has quickly.
Thanks. Ill see you around, infact Ill see you on the Sky if Sorall hire me.
Manabu ran silently through the corridor. Tonight had been quite fruitful in the grand scheme of things. He now had a trail that could lead him to Yoko if, indeed this Suzume was Yoko and not just a carbon copy of her.
The lights had been dimmed. Although in space night time was an ever changing state, the lights were still dimmed at a standard night time. The conditions made it perfect for Manabu. He could slip in and out of the executive suites without being noticed.
He quickly arrived at the security center. A single LPI sat in the room. Overweight and over aged, the man would stand no chance against Manabu and Manabu knew it. He slipped into the room; the guard had stupidly left the door unlocked and open.
As Manabu approached the man he realised the guard was listening to his portable music player, noise cancelling ear phones blocked the outside world from interfering with the guards incompetent relaxation.
Manabu due his knife, easing himself into position. The man realised what was happening too late. Manabu slit his throat, blood and coffee came flowing out. Manabu felt a pang of irritation as the man struggled for air. There was no honour in this. No satisfaction for his bloodlust. This was too easy.
He searched the records for Soras room. Finding it, it quietly left, closing the shutters before leaving and locking the security door behind him. The room was only down the hall from the security room.
Manabu swiftly followed the hall to the room. Getting in was easy. The door used a simple encryption method, easily bypassed by Manabus TechTool. The room was neatly kept, aside from several data pads sprawled over the eating table.
Sora slept soundlessly on the bed. Manabu locked the door, using his TechTool to jam the opening mechanism. He walked to the eating table and lifted a chair over to the bed. He sat down, picked up and small vase from the bed side cabinet and slammed it to the ground.
Sora woke, startled and bleary eyed. He looked at Manabu with fear.
Who are you?
Manabu laughed and drew his knife.
I am a friend of sorts. I have heard that you have had some troubles of late with one Suzume. Am I correct?
Shaking uncontrollably Sora sat up.
Y Y Yes
Now, this woman No girl, is of particular interest to me. Shes in fact my cousin. I have been sent to bring her home, to Kusari.
Oh.. I Um.. I I.
Arent talking very well. Relax no harm will come to you.
Pausing briefly he smiled.
If you help me that is. Will you help me Sora?
I.. .How?
Quite simple, you will supply me with information if and when I need it.
What kind of information?
You will provide any kind of information that I require. There nothing too dangerous for you. Sometimes I may need a friend in a place I cannot go to or information on a person. You will be paid in credits.
I I. Yes. Ill do it.
Good.
Manabu put the knife away.
Oh and dont try and betray me, do not contact the authorities about me, do not tell your crew about me. If you do. You will die. Do you understand?
Y.. Yes.
Good. Now, am I right in believing that Suzume lives on Trafalgar?
Yes.
Good.
Manabu stood to his feet.
I will contact you. But remember, I'm always watching you.
Manabu left the room. Tonight had been most fruitful indeed.
The room was sparse, devoid of character and sentiment. Bunk beds laid in four rows, three across. Eighteen warriors would all share this one room. They would train and fly together, never taking their eyes off each others back. So was the way of the Mandalorians.
Colton let the guide lead him into the room. The guide pointed towards a bunk bed at the back of the room.
That bottom bunk is free, the former occupant met a untimely end at the hand of his target. Here.
The guide handed a key to Colton.
Thats for the locker. Its your personal locker. Keep anything you wish in there. But keep it orderly.
Colton nodded.
The rest of the warriors are training down the hall. Your barracks designated training time is from eight in the morning til eleven, everyday. You will be taught to speak the Mandalorian tongue, although not many of us truly speak it anymore. Nowadays its a bastardised language.
Colton heard the trace of sadness in the guides voice as he spoke
Youll be expected to hunt at all times. Obviously that does not mean you should be hunting twenty four, seven. Hunt when you can. Now I have other duties to attend to.
The man bowed neatly and left before Colton could reply.
Colton laid his bag on his bunk. Opening the bag, he laid his clothes neatly on the bed. They were all of simple design, coloured black, grey, drab and brown. He was never a believer in fashion, his choice of clothing screamed that fact.
He opened the locker; within there was a single black flight suit and a pair of dark boots. Part of a Mandalorians standard uniform. All that Colton had yet to receive were his battle armour and weapons. The weapons he was set to receive were a sabre, or bes'kad as the Mandalorians called it, a single long curved knife and a DM-1000 Bandit side arm (A standard Detroit Munitions laser pistol, known to be highly modifiable).
He carefully placed his own clothes onto the locker shelves. The locker wasnt exactly large. Aside from the gloves, there was enough room for a side arm and small personal items. He closed and locked it. Put the key underneath his pillow. It wasnt a good hiding place, but he had nothing worth stealing and he doubted anyone would steal from a Mandalorian barracks.
Following the directions the guide had given him, he walked briskly to the training area. The training area was large. Wooden dummies and punch bags lined the room. Padded mats covered the floor. Weights and benches lay in the right hand corner of the room. Mandalorians practiced their martial skills. Pairs sparred in hand to hand and fenced with sabres.
As he entered the room he became all too aware of the Mandalorians sizing him up. A Mandalorian approached him, a pair of sparring gloves in each hand. He threw a pair at Coltons feet.
The blows came thick and fast, Colton tried to duck and weave but he wasnt quick enough. The Mandalorian was skilled. Colton was a good shot, but he was little more than a brawler when it came to hand to hand.
Colton threw a cross at the Mandalorians head, hoping to score a hit before the Mandalorian could chamber another punch. But the Mandalorian caught his hand, he used the other hand to grab Coltons shoulder and threw him to the floor.
He landed on top of Colton, holding a fictional knife to his throat.
And youre dead.
The Mandalorian smiled broadly before bursting out in laughter. He stood up and offered his hand to Colton, who gratefully accepted it.
The names Barclay.
Colton.
Barclay nodded.
Been in a few bar fights in your time Colton?
Just a few.
The Mandalorians that had stopped to watch the fight began laughing.
Well that bar fighting isnt going to do you much good here. Your punching is sloppy and your kicks look like youre flailing about like a dying fish.
Barclay looked at Mandalorians watching.
Back to training or Ill be handing your asses to you!
The Mandalorians almost instantaneously restarted training.
Barclay beckoned Colton to follow him, he walked towards to the punching bags. He kicked the back with a roundhouse kick, the bag and its brackets shudder violently. Colton smiled briefly. This would be a interesting training session.
The Scimitar landed gracefully on the landing pad. Manabu flicked several switches on the dashboard. The ships engines ceased working followed shortly by the lights. He opened the canopy, gently stepping onto the ladders he climbed down.
Manabu quickly checked over the stations schematics he’d retained since his last “visit.” Coupled with the information he had had liberated from Trafalgar’s mainframe, he knew his way to “Suzume’s” room. Although Kareem had claimed that this scrapping business had been quite profitable, “Suzume” lived in low quality quarters. Low quality even for a idiot like her, Manabu thought.
Suzume lived in one of the lower levels. Close to the stations power core. Although it wouldn’t be overly protected, Manabu would have to be careful. He could not be caught while he was “extracting” her from the station.
Manabu walked swiftly through the corridors. He was dodge and to move out of various peoples way several times. Trafalgar was a haven for all kinds of people, thieves, murderers and smugglers made up the worst of those people. Those people weren’t the well mannered kind.
A short elevator ride later and he had nearly reached his target. He took note of the guards on this level. Two were posted outside of the actual core room, which was right next to the elevator. A further five walked regularly around the corridors. Getting around the five mobile guards would be easy. The two guards outside the core would be difficult; a violent confrontation would be highly likely.
Manabu reached the corridor where “Suzume’s” room should be. Room number 1424. He gently opened the code pad revealing the circuitry. He took a small HackNode from his backpack he used it to unlock the door.
As the door eased open, Manabu drew his long knife. It was a tiny room, barely big enough to hold the twin bed within, calling it a bed was perhaps too generous. Three feet of space seperated the bed and the door, the bed was forced up against the back wall, the side of the bed facing the door.The headboard rested to the left of the room. The walls were painted the typical generic metal grey of Junker bases.
A small tub lay to the right as he entered the room, beside it a flimsy-looking shelf held a small assortment of hygene articles. Another, much smaller shelf hung next to the head of the bed, with nothing on it. But the room was empty of human life.
Manabu sat on the bed and waited. After several hours of patient waiting he checked the room for food. Finding none he placed a small proximity triggered bug in the room. If she returned then he’d know.
He spent the next hour bribing one of the “port officials” to tell him once he knew where “Suzume” was. After that he rented a room a single level above “Suzume’s” room, he stockpiled on food and water. And he waited some more.